28 Monday night dinner recipes that are easy like Sunday morning

We're talking smooth, effortless meals that will soon make the busiest night of the week your favourite.

Corn miso ramen Credit: Kitti Gould

--- Watch The Cook Up with Adam Liaw weeknights on SBS Food (Ch.33) at 7.00pm. Stream all episodes anytime at SBS On Demand. ---

If ever a night called for an easy dinner, it's Monday. And Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday... you get the idea. The craving for low-key, super-quick meals that still deliver on taste is endless.

Fortunately, we happen to hang with the guy who 100 percent gets it. Adam Liaw is the master of easy dinners. Not just because he seems to be the busiest cook in town, as well as the father of young kids and a social media whizz. But also because he understands that good food doesn't have to be complicated.

“These days, I cook more simply than I ever have in my life," Adam told SBS Food. "It's not that I cook worse, or that I cook food that doesn't taste as good as before. In fact, I'm cooking more simply in less time. But the food I'm making now tastes better than it ever has."

If you want some insights into how he makes easy dinners work, cook one of these recipes tonight. Each guarantees tonight will be your favourite night of the week.

Speed through a stir-fry

This umami-packed weeknight dinner utilises an often-overlooked shortcut: the microwave. Credit: Photography by Jiwon Kim

When it comes to serving up a quick meal, a stir-fry wins every time. The time taken is really all in the prep, so chop your veggies and mix your sauce ahead to make it even speedier. A stir-fry like this garlic pork and mushroom dish can be on the table in under 15 minutes.

Use your noodles

These supreme soy sauce noodles make a simple but satisfying dinner in only 10 minutes. Credit: Kitti Gould

Is there anything more satisfying than a big bowl of slurpy noodles? Especially when they take mere moments to make. These soy sauce noodles practically cook themselves, which is just the nicest thing at the end of a long day. Pro tip: top any noodle dish with a runny fried egg for maximum contentment.

Roll on ramen

Make your noodles the soupy kind and happiness knows no bounds. To get the big, bold flavours worthy of ramen, you'll need to work ahead. For example, this corn miso ramen features eggs that have been cured for a couple of days, other times you'll want to add a slow-cooked stock to bring depth to this otherwise simple dish. Either way, if you prep and fridge or even freeze ahead your elements, ramen smoothly comes together like silk.

Slow things down

Naturally you're now craving a pulled pork burger, so get the slow cooker out. Credit: Kitti Gould

Ease does not always mean speedy. Prep your meal in a slow cooker in the morning and tuck in at the end of the day. This inspired recipe for pulled pork burgers also uses store-bought coleslaw mix to make life easier.

Slow-cooked

Express your eggs

From eggs to excellent in around seven minutes - the ease of a standby omelette recipe should never be underestimated. Credit: Kitti Gould

Keep a carton of eggs in the fridge and you'll always have an easy dinner at the ready. You can throw pretty much anything into an omelette and make it work (cheese is always a good idea). If you've never tasted a spring onion omelette, tonight's your lucky night. Serve it with a salad and dinner is done.

Pasta every day

Chicken, cream cheese, onion, garlic, oregano and peas work some kind of magic. Credit: Jiwon Kim

If you've got a packet of pasta, you've got a decent meal. Much like eggs (see above), pasta works with everything. Take this chicken and cream cheese penne that packs a punch using fridge and pantry staples. It's a nice change from your typical red sauce pasta dishes (although they are strongly encouraged as a weeknight standby as well).

Protein plus

An enduring classic for good reason. Credit: Jiwon Kim

Simple eating makes things easy and it doesn't come less complicated than a classic 'protein plus a veg' dish. A French classic pepper steak with frites, marinated veggie skewers or a garlicky salmon paired with greens will leave you smiling. At the end of the day, what more could we ask for?

More tips to make weeknight dinners easy

1. Plan ahead

Take a few moments at the start of the week to plot out what you're going to cook each night. Check your fridge, pantry and freezer for what you have on hand and make a shopping list as you go. That way you're ready in advance with everything you need.

2. Prep early

Prepare everything you can in the morning so you can launch straight into the cooking as soon as you get home. Chop your veggies, mix your sauces, marinate your meat, take out your pans and ensure your bench and the sink are both clean and waiting.

3. Rest easy

One of the most underrated ways to add flavour to a meal is to give it time to rest before serving. This is great news for time-pressed cooks because it also gives you time to rest between cooking and serving. Taking 10 minutes to yourself to slow down, be in the moment and enjoy the fact that the day is nearly done makes any everyday dinner memorable.